The Story

Undocumented Organizer Targeted by ICE

Maru Mora Villalpando is an activist, organizer, immigrant, and mother in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. She has lived in the United States for more than 25 years, and has spent most of that time as a community organizer. In 2014, Maru came out as undocumented. She now leads NWDC Resistance/Resistencia al NWDC, an organization that strives to abolish immigration detention and deportation, and that organizes around the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, WA.

In an act of retaliation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has chosen to target Maru directly, for no reason other than her activism and organizing against the immigration agency. She recently received a Notice to Appear letter, signifying the beginning of a deportation process against her. She is still waiting for her court date and could be detained at any time. You can read media accounts here and here.

In Maru's words: "We are coming up on the one-year anniversary of the Trump regime taking power. It is one year since the Obama administration handed the keys to the enormous machinery of detention and deportation over to a group of people with openly xenophobic, white supremacist ambitions. In that year, ICE has fully transitioned to becoming Trump’s police force. But 'resistance' was part of our group’s name even before Trump took office. Last month, because of my active resistance, the U.S. government came for me. I will continue my struggle so that tomorrow they don’t come for you."

The only good news here is Maru's strength in continuing to struggle, and the people who are pulling together to offer support. Please give to this defense fund to help Maru in her fight. Donations will go to pay for organizing costs (including Maru’s travel across the state and across the country), legal costs (including immigration filing fees), and emergency costs (including support for Maru’s daughter if Maru is detained).

Please also sign and share this petition. It will be used to pressure ICE to drop the deportation proceedings against Maru.

While Maru fights her own deportation, she will continue organizing for #not1more person to face detention and deportation. If you would also like to contribute to the fight against ICE and immigration prisons, please donate to NWDC Resistance.

Posted on January 29, 2018

Posted on January 29, 2018

Thank you everyone for your donations. This fundraiser has been successful, with people donating above our targets every time we set them! We have raised the target amount to $10,000. Thank you for providing the solidarity and support needed for Maru to fight back!